Posted: 4/02/04
Agency suggests questions to ask
when selecting a charter company
If churches choose to charter a bus for long trips, they need to carefully examine the companies they hire, a representative of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration suggested.
Before hiring any carrier, request the bus company's United States Department of Transportation number, said Donna Channel with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's consumer and public affairs office.
With that information, a church can log onto www.safersys.org for information, such as the company's safety rating and crash history and whether the company is an authorized for-hire carrier.
Channel suggests churches, schools and other non-profit entities ask the following questions, listed in her agency's "Bus Transportation Toolkit" on its website (www.fmcsa.dot.gov):
Does the driver have a current commercial driver's license with a passenger endorsement?
Does the driver have a valid medical certificate?
Does the company have a driver drug and alcohol testing program that complies with U.S. Department of Transportation regulations?
Will the trip be completed within the legal limit of 10 driving hours? If not, will there be a second driver or overnight rest stop scheduled to complete the trip legally?
Does the company have its buses inspected annually? By whom?
Does the company have the required $5 million public liability insurance?
Does the company subcontract with others for equipment and drivers? If so, what is the name of the second company and its U.S. Department of Transportation number?
Does the company have notification procedures for roadside emergencies and breakdowns? Is the driver equipped with a wireless communication device?
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